Combination movable knee-pad and foot-rest for church-pews.



M. LAVIGNE. Y COMBINATION MOVABLE KNEE PAD AND FOOT BEST FOR CHURCH PEWS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1913.

1,080,764, Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON. D. c

MOSES LAVIGNE, 0F FERRISBURG, VERMONT.

COMBINATION MOVABLE KNEE-PAID AND FOOT-REST FOR CHURGH-PEWS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

Application filerl May 2, 1913. Serial No. 765,092.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1,.Mosns LAVIGNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ferrisburg, in the county of Addison and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Combination Movable Knee-Pad and Foot Rest for Church-Pews; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and .use the same.

This invention relates to the art of pew constructions for churches, and particularly to a new and useful combination movable knee pad and foot rest.

Heretofore, such devices as portable cushions and the like have been used for kneeling upon while in prayer, and very often persons when not kneeling, will invariably allow their feet to rest upon the cushions or the like, and in this way they become soiled or dirty, and then when they kneel, ones trousers or skirts become soiled or dusty.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to obviate such inconvenient annoying features, by not only providing an improved foot rest (which may be thrown up out of position when cleaning or sweeping the pew), but a foot rest which also includes an improved knee pad, which when kneeled upon is supported by the foot rest, and when not used, the same may be thrown up out of position.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations, to which the patentee is entitled, provided the alterations fall within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a section of a church pew, showing the improved combination movable foot rest and knee pad, showing one knee pad down and the other up. Fig. 2 is a View showing the entire foot rest and both knee pads thrown up. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 83 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a detail view of one of the levers 22. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the seat 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, 1 designates the usual seat of a pew, the seat 2 proper of which is hinged as at 3, which may be thrown up, as shown in dotted lines, so as to make room when cleanlng or sweeping the pew. When the seat 2 is down, the same rests upon cushions or buffers 4. of the shoulders 5 at each end of the pew. The back of the pew seat is provided with a rack or shelf, for the support of prayer books and the like, while below the shelf 5 is a couple. of pegs 6 for supporting umbrellas and the like. Pivoted at 8 at each end of the pew in the rear thereof adjacent the floor is a pair of members 9 and 10. These members are secured 'at 11 to an elongated skeleton foot rest 12, there being ears 13 of said members overlapping the foot rest, in order to reinforce their connections. The foot rest 12 is provided with bufiers 1 1 to engage the floor. As shown in the drawings, it will be seen that the foot rest may be thrown up out of position, so that the pew may be cleaned or swept. However, if desired, one may rest his feet upon the foot rest even when the same is thrown up.

Linked in eyes 15 of the foot rest are the two ends 16 of the U-shaped links 17 which are in turn pivoted to the under face of the knee pads 18, by means of the staples 19. Also pivoted upon a pin 20 mounted in eyes 21 of the foot rest are levers or links 22, the pivoted ends of which terminate in cams 23 adapted to cooperate with the plungers 24c which are under spring tension, and mounted in bores 25 of the foot rest. The springs which afford the spring tensioned action coact between the plungers and the inner end of the said bores. The cams of the levers or links are of such construction, that when the knee pads are down upon the footrest, the tendency is to remain in such position, and when thrown up the tendency of the cams and the plungers is to hold the knee pad in raised position. To move the knee pads either from a down position to an up position, or from an up position to a down position, only a little pull or pressure is necessary to overcome the action of the spring, in causing the portion 27 of the cam to pass the outer end of the plunger. U-shaped straps 28 are bolted, riveted or otherwise secured to the links or levers, and these straps are in turn pivoted in the recesses 29 of the under faces of the knee pads, by means of the plate straps 30. Upon one edge of each knee pad 2. bar or rod 31 is arranged, acting as a hand or foot hold, whereby the pads may be moved. Upon the other edge of each knee pad is a leather strap loop, or. the like 32 constituting means as hand holds for moving the knee pads.

Fromthe foregoing, it follows, there has been devised a simple and efficient combination adjustable foot rest and knee pad, for use in connection with church pews and the like, and one which has been found desirable and practical.

The invention having been setforth; what l is claimed as'new and'useful is In combination with a church pew, a pivoted skeleton frame constituting a foot rest pivoted to the sides of the pew and adapted to=bethrown up out of position a knee pad*having a-link connection with the 7 foot rest adapted" to be thrown up out of position independently of the foot rest, said between said ears, the bar of the foot rest havingthe ears provided with a bore, a

spring-tensioned plunger mounted in said 25 bore, and adapted to cooperate with said 'cam for offering resistance as the knee pad is raised and lowered.

In testimony whereof I} have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of 39 two subscribing witnesses.

- MOSES LAVIGNE.

Witnesses:

, DAVID E. RYAN, CHARLES A. CHAMBERLAIN;

Copies-of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, .D. G. 

